The Victory

The Victory is Won

Revelation 19:1–10 (NIV)

After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting:

“Hallelujah!

Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,

for true and just are his judgments.

He has condemned the great prostitute

who corrupted the earth by her adulteries.

He has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”

And again they shouted:

“Hallelujah!

The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever.”

The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne. And they cried:

“Amen, Hallelujah!”

Then a voice came from the throne, saying:

“Praise our God,

all you his servants,

you who fear him,

both great and small!”

Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:

“Hallelujah!

For our Lord God Almighty reigns.

Let us rejoice and be glad

and give him glory!

For the wedding of the Lamb has come,

and his bride has made herself ready.

Fine linen, bright and clean,

was given her to wear.”

(Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.)

Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.”

At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus.”

John sees in the conclusion of chapter 18:21, the destruction of Rome depicted in the same means as that of Babylon

Jeremiah 51:63–64 (NIV)

When you finish reading this scroll, tie a stone to it and throw it into the Euphrates. Then say, ‘So will Babylon sink to rise no more because of the disaster I will bring on her. And her people will fall.’ ”

The words of Jeremiah end here.

Strabo the Greek geographer would say later of the ancient city of Babylon that is was so destroyed no one would have dared say that the desert where it stood was once a great city

No more sounds of rejoicing in rebellion to God.

No more sounds of progress and industry.

No more lights on the streets to illuminate the path.

Never again the sound of the engorging of a people in outright defiance upon the joys and graces of first steps, first kisses, first dances, weddings, birthdays or anniversary celebrations.

Jeremiah 25:10 (NIV)

I will banish from them the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom, the sound of millstones and the light of the lamp.

There is only praises and hallelujahs coming from the people of God. The time has come and the wrath of the Lord has been poured out in full.

The Victorious One

Revelation 19:11–21 (NIV)

I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:

king of kings and lord of lords.

And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, great and small.”

Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army. But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.

Now comes the One who is Victorious.

Now rides in the One who drank the cup of God’s wrath to redeem and reconcile His people before a just and holy God.

Now the Victorious One comes riding on a white horse to avenge the martyred, to bring justice for the wickedness of the world and to take hold of His throne in complete desolation of the enemy.

This is not a battle of good vs evil where anyone can win. The outcome has already been foretold. The ultimate reality is that there is no battle to be fought but rather order to be restored. It is from an incorrect eastern ideology that we derive our views of good and evil. We believe that good and evil are dichotomous, one depending upon the other. This is not reality. Evil is dependent upon good, but good needs nothing of evil.

Worship

Revelation 19:9–10 (NIV)

Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.”

At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus.”

Because the end has been written, our command is clear, Worship God. The mission has always been singular, to turn and worship God for the Kingdom of Heaven is here. Our deepest desire is to bring heaven to earth. That happens when we worship God and God alone.

The worship of God is centered around a table, the great Messianic wedding feast of the Lamb. This powerful relational symbol is the victory, we get to share the table of victory with the Lord. Bringing a taste of heaven to earth can be seen as we sit down together and share in the meal of communion with one another.

This is the picture of the fulfillment of that which Christ started at the last supper. The next time that He would sit down and share in the fellowship meal with his disciples will be at the supper of the lamb.